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(No Model.)

S. A. GRAHAM. POTATO CUTTER.

No. 586,844. Patented July 20, 1897.

UNTTEn STATES PATENT DEEICE.

SAMUEL A. GRAHAM, OF BOSTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONF- THIRD TO SAMUEL I. FARLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

POTATO-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 586,844, dated July 20, 1897. Application filed July 11 1896. Serial No. 598,806. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Potato-Gutters, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a plan of same. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the table upon which the cutter is placed and-the levers for operating same. Fig. (i is a plan of a modified arrangement of the cutting-knives.

The purpose of my invention, generally stated, is a machine for cutting potatoes.

My improvements consist in the mechanism for holding and feeding the potato and cutting the same, adjusting the knives, and certain details hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, 1 is a table upon which the cutter is preferably secured.

2 is a foot-treadle pivoted to a leg of the table.

3 is a connecting-rod pivotally connected with treadle 2 and with lever at. Attached to shaft 5, suitably mounted in housings 5 is a working arm 6, bearing potato-depressing block 7 at its forward end. If desired, rod 3 can be disconnected from lever& and said lever worked by hand.

Mounted upon said table 1 is a vertical plate 8, to which various levers are attached, as hereinafter described. Said plate is slotted at 8 to accommodate the play of the arm 6, and is also slotted at its base at 8 8 to pass the adj usting-levers for the knives mentioned below. Pivoted to said plate 8 and to a plate 9, parallel therewith and forward of the same, are the two side doors 1O 10 of the potato-holder. These doors are connected to levers 11 11, which in turn are connected by the folding levers 12 12. Between the apex of said levers 12 12 and a rigid arm 13, secured to plate 8, is a spring 1-1, which tends to keep the levers 12 12 normally spread and the potato-holder closed at the bottom.

Immediately below the potato-holder is an opening 15 in the table, in the center of which is set longitudinally a rigid knife-blade 16.

17 17 are transverse knife-plates adjustable toward or from each other by reason of their connection at each end with the jointed levers 18 18, attached to the uprights 19 19 on rock-shaft 20.

21 21 are guards protecting the jointed levers beneath the potato-holder and acting as guides for the upper edges of the transverse knives. The transverse knives are preferably spaced farther apart at the forward end of the potato-holder, as there the larger end of the potato is placed.

In Fig. (i I showaslightly-modified arrangement, wherein the transverse knives cross the longitudinal knife obliquelyinstead of at right angles. This cuts the potato in sections so shaped as to be better gripped by certain styles of planters.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The potato which is to be sliced up into sections, each of which shall contain an eye, is placed in the potato-hopper. The hand or foot lever is actuated, bringing down block 7 upon the top of the potato and forcing the potato down, opening the doors 10 10 of the potato-holder against the action of spring 14. The block continues to descend, forcing the potato against and through the knives, and its sections fall into a suitable receptacle beneath.

\Vhen potatoes of different size are to be cut, the transverse knives are moved together or apart by moving uprights 10 19.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. I11 potato-cutters, the combination of a potato-holder; transverse and longitudinal knives arranged beneath said holder; jointed levers connecting said transverse knives with a rock-shaft whereby the distances between said transverse knives can be regulated and means for pressing the potato down whereby the holder is opened and the potato forced upon the knives.

2 r K W e, N58654::

2. In potato-cutters,the combination of two the potato down whereby the holder is opened pivotally-hun g doors formingapotato-holder; and the potato forced against the knives. 10 a series of folding levers connecting said In testimony whereof I have hereunto set doors; a spring acting to keep said levers my hand this 8th day of July, A. D. 1896.

spread and the doors closed at their base; SAMUEL A. GRAHAM. knives arranged beneath said doors, a rock- Witnesses:

shaft; levers connecting said rock-shaft with WM. L. PIERCE,

the transverse knives and means for pressing M. K. CosTER. 

